Gear
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The brand of zipper that is likely keeping your britches up at this very moment. Headquartered in Tokyo, 81-year-old YKK (short for Yoshida Kogyo Kabushikikaisha, which translates as Yoshida Company Limited) was founded by Tadao Yoshida, who started making custom zippers to take advantage of breaks and…
Hummer: The civilian version of the military’s Humvee off-road vehicle, which was produced by AM General from 1992 to 2006.
Jeep: A four-wheel-drive vehicle first produced for the U.S. Army during World War II.
The surprising tendency for technical products and trends from the outdoor world to find their way into mass culture.
Dutch Oven: A large cast-iron pot and the campfire cooking vessel of choice for pioneers, cowboys, and river guides.
Little Things: Those items that mark the difference between a miserable experience and a joyous one—pit zips on jackets being a prime example.
Duluth pack: A heavy canvas rucksack, patented in 1882 by French Canadian Camille Poirier in Duluth, Minnesota, along the shores of Lake Superior.
Polarization: A lens technology that cuts glare created when light reflects off materials like plastic and glass.
How a humble wooden fishing craft became the quintessential Grand Canyon ride
Vasque Sundowner: A svelte hiking boot that serves as a testament to how well-made products can endure despite evolving design trends.
And how it's going to change the way you see all of your stuff
Jogging Stroller: A stroller that allows parents to run and, theoretically, get their toddlers to nap.
The world's leading design center for outdoor footwear—everything from featherweight climbing shoes to hard-shelled mountaineering stompers—is a small city in northern Italy where craftsmanship reigns.
Blake Mycoskie: A 38-year-old philanthropist and entrepreneur who founded Toms Shoes (originally Shoes for a Better Tomorrow) in 2006.
Lumbersexual: A fashion-conscious male urbanite whose clothing and accessories project an aura of rugged manliness.
Pack Raft: A small inflatable raft that can be rolled up to fit in a backpack.
Nalgene bottle: A durable, wide-mouthed vessel originally designed to hold chemicals.
Doug Tompkins: Businessman and crusading conservationist who cofounded the North Face and Esprit.
Heart-Rate Monitor: A device that measures a wearer’s heart rate; particularly useful for monitoring exertion in athletes.
Military-strong material with smart features for any civilian
Towable as hell but built with enough room to host dinner parties
Treat your feet right with bright art and classic comfort
Surfer Jamie O’Brien and his team made the fiery stunt look easy. But turns out, it took months of planning and some very specific gear to get right.
When you build the two millionth edition of an iconic 4x4, it deserves special treatment
Some our favorite images from this year's Tour de France stages in the French Alps.
Glaciers! Trained grizzlies! $3.25-million dollar cameras! An inside look at the hottest bike flick of 2015.
Tenth Mountain Division: An Army outfit specializing in mountain warfare, devised during World War II around the idea that it was easier to make troops out of skiers than skiers out of troops.
A cool concept that does fisheries good
The future has arrived, and because it’s built to fit you perfectly, it’s not going anywhere
Patagonia pulled on a thread and found migrant workers suffering under servitude in its supply chain. Will its disclosures prompt other brands to air their dirty laundry (or even look for it) as well?
A full-suspension 27.5+ built expressly for bikepacking? Who’da thunk?
Or you can at least get around onerous fees by tethering to it when you’re abroad
The $8,000 hanging shelter of your dreams
A brewery in New Zealand is fueling cars with beer
Mood light, spotlight, emergency light—all in one adventure-ready box
With crash-filled stages, an American competing for the podium, and an astonishingly dominant performance by Chris Froome of Team Sky on Tuesday, it’s been an exciting start to the 2015 Tour de France. These images do the action justice.
Putting the new bikepacking rig through its paces on the Tour Divide
The Wikipedia (and Google Street View) of the outdoors will change your life
A lid that incorporates turn signals and brake lights into its shell
It’s taken a decade, but an American is finally riding out of Lance Armstrong’s shadow and putting the U.S. back in contention at the world’s biggest bike race
Getting into paddling is a good call. Blowing your money on unnecessary gear is not. Here’s exactly what you need.
How Whistler Blackcomb plans to save its disappearing glacier—along with a huge slice of business—with snowmaking technology
Makers of this crowdsourced device say it can save you from drowning
The six swim trunks you should be wearing this summer
Now you can truly see how you stack up versus the pros
Surfski (noun): The fastest, tippiest kayak. If you’re just getting into the sport, this is the boat for you.
Crowdsourced innovations promise to replace the old bike lock for good
Light, smooth, and durable.
The perks of a DSLR camera, all in the palm of your hand
Blame the race organizers and the intense competition
Out of the 1,600 sold, about .7 percent are affected by a firmware issue that can prevent them from deploying
Ingenious solutions to make the season's simplest sport even better